Those Who Do Not Learn From The Past
by Grazia D
Summary: The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. fanfic. Please read and review. Let me know what you think!
1. Are Doomed To Repeat It

_**Infamous outlaw, Jessamyn County, sister of famed bounty hunter Brisco County Jr., and daughter of the late, legendary Nevada marshal Brisco County Sr., ends up in Dolan Springs, Arizona, without much rhyme or reason why. When the town is looted, the inhabitants are either killed or scattered into the wind, Jessie is the one blamed. Brisco and his partner, Lord Bowler, set out to prove Jessie innocent, dodging money hungry bounty hunters, lawmen, ordinary townsfolk, and, surprisingly, Jessie, along the way. Jessie knows the person responsible for the mayhem in Dolan Springs is Jeremiah James, a former member of her gang, and has a deadly score to settle. **_

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**Dolan Springs, Arizona- June 18, 1893**

Sometimes, days just don't go as planned. And today was certainly no exception.

"Not so smart now, are ya, mouth?" the sheriff wrenched on her arm, forcing her onto the wooden sidewalk. "You are gonna make me a rich man, County."

"Who?" she asked innocently as he shoved her through the open doorway leading into the town jail.

"Keep playing dumb. I know who you are, Jessamyn County."

"Prove it." the sheriff smirked as he opened the heavy steel door to the only cell in the jail. Thankfully it was empty. She really didn't feel like sharing her temporary living space with the town drunk or some outlaw in definite need of a bath.

"I've been waiting for you to blow through my town, County. In case you've forgotten, that bounty on your head is five thousand dollars. There ain't a lawman west of the Mississippi that don't know your face." He released the restraints from her wrists and with a sharp shove from behind, she stumbled into the tiny cell. "And you just made me a hero." he smiled and slammed the heavy cell door shut, the keys jingling as he locked it. "Oh, in case you were wondering, I plan on having a watch on you twenty-four hours a day. You're not getting' outta here until the Federal marshals come and take you away." '_I always enjoy a challenge_'. she thought.

"Listen, sheriff, I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not who you think I am." she said as innocently as she could. "I think you have me confused with someone else." The sheriff just laughed and settled at his desk.

"Look, sheriff," she began, leaning against the wrought iron bars, "you're making a big mistake."

"I don't think so." the sheriff answered without looking up at her. Defeated, she slumped down on the hard wooden bench. Another night in jail.

Resigned to the fact she would be here at least for a few hours, she began the process of looking for a way out. The cell seemed to be built sturdy enough, the wrought iron bars looked relatively new, not one sign of rust or weakening. But that didn't mean it could hold her. She let out a slow sigh, and let her gaze drift to the sheriff. He would always be a fail-safe, she could always turn on the charm and seduce her way out if needed. And the portly, balding sheriff seemed like an easy mark.

Her gaze continued to drift over every inch on the tiny jailhouse. She leaned her head back, enjoying the coolness of the brick wall. There wasn't anything she could do now, she surmised as she shut her eyes.

"Sheriff!" The sudden interruption stirred her from the sleep she hadn't even realized she'd slipped into. The man who had blew through the open door was a gentleman in his mid to late fifties, dressed in a bloody butcher's smock, covering dark trousers and simple grey cotton shirt. "We got trouble."

"What's going on, Herb?"

"Six desperadoes just stormed into Larry's stable and beat him pretty bad, then took off with four of his horses." Herb said, breathlessly. "They just went into the bank." The sheriff tipped the hat back on his head and adjusted his gun belt.

"Go ahead and stay here. I'll take care of this." He stepped out of the jailhouse, letting the door swing shut, with the butcher close behind, obviously choosing not to heed the sheriff's order.

She pushed herself off the bench, and leaned up against the cell, straining to see out the dirty window across from her. The sheriff had made it halfway across the street before stopping in his tracks. She couldn't see what had caused him to freeze, but the sounds of gunshots ringing through the air gave her an idea. The sheriff had drawn his pistol, and began to fire, but the unseen outlaws had the upper hand. The first bullet struck him in the chest, followed by another that ripped through the top of his skull. She watched in horror as his lifeless body slumped to the ground. Through the window, she could see the town falling into chaos. Frightened townspeople streaked past, a few unlucky ones falling from the bullets of the outlaws.

The door burst open and she recognized the men that entered as two of the Swill brothers, definitely two men she didn't want to see.

"Well, looky what we got here." The taller of the two grinned wickedly at Jessie as he approached the cell.

"That's Jessie County." the other said, matter-of-factly, receiving an annoyed look in return.

"I know who it is." he shot back, turning his attention back to Jessie. "Howdy, County."

"Hello, Phil." she sneered.

"I'm Bill, he's Phil." he growled, nodding over his shoulder the smaller, unkempt Swill.

"Whatever."

"You're lookin' awful pretty, County." Bill leered, reaching through the cell bars to brush a few strands of dark hair from her face. Jessie pulled back in disgust, slapping his hand away.

"Get a clue, Bill." she muttered.

"Well, well, well, hel-lo, County." Jessie sighed at the sound of the distinctive drawl coming from the doorway.

"What is this, an idiot convention?" she asked snidely as her gaze landed on Pete Hutter who was leaning against the jailhouse doorway. "Hello, Pete. Long time, no see. Surprised to see you still alive."

"Could say the same about you, County." Jessie smiled sweetly, leaning her willowy body against the bars.

"How bout you let me out of here, Pete. I'll make it worth you're while." she cooed, turning on the charm.

"I scoff at your dismal attempt to seduce me, County." Pete expressed, callously.

"A pathetic attempt to regain freedom." A voice agreed from the doorway. The man that entered was taller than the others, dressed head to toe in black. " But, I really don't expect much from you, Jessamyn." Jessie's eyes hardened as she looked over the familiar man that now stood in front of her.

"I should've know that these imbeciles would be riding with a sad lowlife like you, Jeremiah." Jessie muttered. Jeremiah looked her over, shaking his head in disgust.

"It's a shame you didn't die from your wounds. One has to wonder how good men like my cousins had to die, but yet, you continue to live."

"I could say the same about you." Jessie said, coldly. Jeremiah smiled and motioned for the three to follow him.

"Take care." Jeremiah said sarcastically as her turned on his heel, pausing to grab the set of keys hanging next to her gun belt, stationed by the door. "You don't mind if mind if I take these, do you? Or this?" Jeremiah grabbed her belt and grinned wickedly as he draped it over his shoulder.

"Well, you don't have to." she muttered, settling back down on the hard wooden bench. "I can't imagine what you'd need with those."

"I think I'll take them anyway." he tipped his hat before slipping through the door. "Goodbye, County."

"Damn it." she muttered.

"Oh, by the way, Jessamyn." Jeremiah called from outside her cell window, and sly grin spread across his face. "I thought I'd light you a little fire." She felt her heart sink when she heard the crackle of the fire from the entryway. "You know, to keep you warm. It'll be dark soon."

"You son-of-a-bitch." she hissed. "I'll see you in hell."

"Well, one thing's for certain." he called out as he mounted his horse. "You'll be there first." Jessie watched in vain as the band of outlaws rode away, leaving her alone, the fire spreading quickly, feeding off the dry wooden floor. She pulled futilely at the bars on her cell window, trying to think of a way to escape. She hated fire more than anything. And the thought of burning alive certainly didn't appeal to her. The flames had engulfed the majority of the front of the jailhouse, inching closer to her cell with every passing second.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it." she whispered, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Why am I not surprised?" Jessie strained to look out her cell window, her blue eyes lighting up at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Brisco?" she called out, reaching out from between the bars "Brisco, get me out of here, please?!" she cried out, trying to keep her voice level and calm, not wanting to let on just how hysterical she was.

"What the hell are you doing here, Jess?" Brisco asked as he busied himself with trying a course rope to the center bar on the jailhouse window, securing the other end to the saddle horn.

"Can we talk about this later, please. Like maybe when I'm not about to become toast."

"Stand back." Brisco ordered, waiting until Jessie was away from the window before urging his horse forward. Comet strained as he pulled the rope tightly, finally succeeding in pulling the bars from the window. Jessie cried out in joy and scurried through the window, landing to the ground with a hard thud.

"What are you doing here?" Brisco asked, as he helped his sister to her feet, pulling her harshly away from the burning jailhouse.

"I should be asking you the same thing." Jessie shot back, breathlessly, her entire body shaking from the close call.

"We've been following Jeremiah James for two weeks." Another familiar voice growled off to her left, drawing her attention the gruff man hunter who towered over her by nearly a foot and a half, his bowler pulled low over his eyes, and the permanent sneer on his lips.

"Oh, really?" Jessie asked sarcastically. "Well, you may have just missed him."

"So it would seem." Brisco muttered.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I really should be getting along." Jessie tossed a disarming smile her brother's way and turned to leave, only to be stared down by Lord Bowler.

"What's the hurry?" Bowler sneered, lowering his head so he was nearly eye to eye with her.

"What?" Jessie asked, her face etched with pure innocence.

"How long has it been since James rode through here?" Brisco asked, moving to her right, and conveniently boxing her in.

"Not long. About ten minutes or so, which means you really should be getting back on his trail, huh?" Jessie asked, trying to step past the bounty hunters.

"And I think you're on your way to do the same thing." Brisco surmised, an amused grin spreading across his face.

"I don't care about Jeremiah James, or his merry band of idiots. What I care about is getting as far away from Dolan Springs as I can before this mess somehow gets attached to my name. And, as far as I know, the ill-fated sheriff has wired the federal marshals, informing them of my appearance here in Arizona, and I don't think this is going to reflect well on me at all."

"James is headed for his hideout out in the mountains." Bowler said, his face still level with hers.

"Probably."

"Which is nearly impossible to find." Brisco added.

"But not completely impossible." Jessie quipped.

"Of course, it's a whole lot easier to find with someone who used to hide out there herself leading the way." Jessie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You do your revenge thing your way, Brisco. I do it my way. You can go after Jeremiah James if you want to, I'm not going to help you, though."

"You know, Jess," Brisco began, grabbing his sister's arm as she tried to push through a slight opening between the two, "you being difficult is really not much of a surprise."

"Good." Jessie sneered. "I hate to disappoint."

"But I know you want Jeremiah just as bad as I do." Brisco continued, refusing to let her arm free. "And I know as soon as you leave here, you're on your way to track him down yourself. I figure it'd be a whole lot easier if we did it together."

"That's the same lame line Dixie used on the two of you to get you to work together, isn't it?" Jessie snorted, receiving an angry glare from Bowler. "Well, I'm not falling for it. Now if you'll excuse me…" Jessie shook her arm free with one quick pull and tried yet again to step past Bowler.

"Now, you listen to me, you wormy little, law-dodging, two-faced thief," Bowler began, his tone low and threatening, as he grabbed the outlaw by the collar and pulled her close. "you ought to be thanking us for not turning your little behind in the last time you stumbled across our path. And the least you can do is take us to James' hideout."

"No." Jessie said, pushing harshly against Bowler, trying to release herself from his tight grip. "The least I can do is nothing. And if you're really requesting my help, this is certainly not the way to go about it."

"Bowler…" Brisco warned softly, the look in his eye pleading with the bounty hunter to free his sister from his hold.

"Oh, all right." Bowler mumbled, loosening his grasp, allowing Jessie to pull away.

"Fine, Jess." Brisco said dismissively. "Go ahead. Go after James and his gang all by yourself." Jessie smiled smugly, tossing a snide look Bowler's way. "I mean, it should be rather easy. After all, it's only ten men, armed to the teeth, and already with the element of surprise on their side. And you, well," Brisco looked his sister up and down with sympathy. "You don't even have a gunbelt." It was now Bowler's turn to smile arrogantly when he noticed Jessie's smile fade.

"But, hey," Brisco continued, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm sure you'll be fine. C'mon, Bowler." Brisco added over his shoulder as he began to walk away from a stunned Jessie.

"God, Brisco, you always do this." Jessie hissed, rushing to catch up to her brother.

"Do what?"

"Act…act like, like this." Jessie growled, her words tumbling over one another.

"Like what?" Brisco asked innocently.

"You know like what." Jessie hissed, matching Brisco's stride. "Look…fine, I get it, okay? I'll take you to Jeremiah's hideout, under one condition."

"What's that?"

"You can take in his gang the way you want too, but I get to take care of Jeremiah my own way. Take it or leave it." Jessie added after a slight pause.

"Alright, fine." Brisco agreed finally, ignoring the uneasy feeling that washed over him when he noticed the look in Jessie's blue eyes.


	2. Intuitions

The stifling summer sun had finally disappeared behind the horizon by the time Jeremiah James and his gang reached the part of the Hualapai Mountain Range referred to by outlaws and lawmen alike as 'The Hideout', named solely for the thousands of areas an outlaw could hole up and get the drop on anyone attempting to enter without permission. Jeremiah's spot was on the southeast corner of The Hideout, protected by the range's tallest peaks and nearly impossible to reach. The narrow trails were at times barely wide enough for a full grown horse to navigate, edged on one side by the massive mountain, the other was a drop off of one hundred feet or more, depending on the altitude. One wrong step would mean certain death for the steed and its riders. Few had tried to track the James gang. And of those who survived the treacherous trails, ended up meeting the wrong end of a bullet in an ambush. No one was able to travel on that route without drawing unwanted attention.

However, James had found long ago an abandoned tunnel that weaved its way through the mountain, obviously dug by individuals long ago, and ended up exactly where he wanted to be. The threat of collapse was a better option than falling to your death.

As the group entered the eerie silence that often enveloped The Hideout, James felt a shiver run down his spine. That shiver told him he was not alone. That shiver warned him of the trackers behind them. They may not be within sight, or anywhere near him, but he could still feel their presence. It was a technique he had honed long ago. And it had never steered him wrong.

"Damn it." he mumbled, causing the man riding in front of him, his cousin Gregory Sutton, to slow his steed to match James' amble, his steel grey eyes filled with query. "We're being followed."

"You sure?" Gregory asked, tossing a look behind him.

"Yeah. And I'm willing to wager everything I own it's Jessamyn County." Gregory snickered as he adjusted his weight in the saddle.

"Jessie County's probably burnt to a pretty little crisp right about now, Jer. There's no way she was getting outta that jail cell alive."

"Unless I calculated her brother's distance wrong." James' shot back. "Maybe him and that half-breed were closer than I thought." Gregory studied James for a moment, carefully weighing his next words.

"Even if they are on our tail," Gregory began. "There's no way they'll be able to catch up with us tonight. And when they try to find us in the morning, if they're still alive, what with the dozen or so outlaws that are sure to be holed up around here already, we'll be waiting for them." James nodded in agreement, not bothering to remind Gregory of Jessie's past with James, or her time spent in The Hideout alongside Gregory's own brother, George. If anyone could find a way to him, it would be Jessamyn County. But, at least Gregory had one thing right; when she did try to come after him, he'd be waiting.

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Brisco had noticed Jessie had been doing her best to slow the trio down, every so often, deliberately dropping Sancho's pace. At times, it seemed the palomino was scarcely moving at all. He could see the anger building up in Bowler's eyes. Jessie was hardly Bowler's favorite person in the first place, and he had little patience for her.

"Is there any reason why you keep slowing down?" Brisco finally asked, tossing an annoyed look over his shoulder, and catching Jessie's cold stare in return.

"I'm hungry. And I'm exhausted. And I think this is a very ridiculous idea in the first place."

"And what makes you think we care?" Bowler sneered.

"I really don't care if you do, Bowler. After all, it was your partner's idea to drag me along, not mine." Jessie shot back, snidely.

"Because if I don't keep an eye on you, you end up in a jail cell, located inside a burning jailhouse. Or you end up nearly hanged after some foolhardy attempt to cheat someone at a poker game. Or nearly hanged inside a saloon. Or inside a church. That one I'll never understand. Oh, or how about nearly getting yourself killed during a bank robbery inside a bank full of federal marshals?"

"Okay." Jessie interrupted, her blue eyes narrow slits. "Enough. How about when you were nearly hanged by some Mexican _banditos_ who thought you cheated them in a poker game? Or, the time you were nearly sawed in two inside a lumber mill. Or nearly electrocuted while tied to a metal flag pole during a thunderstorm. Or, getting shot in the gut during some foolhardy attempt to bring in John Bly, after, of course, you let your gun belt just fall to the ground, thinking he'd be willing to fight you one on one, fairly. That one, I'll never understand." Jessie echoed, her tone pretentious. Brisco stared back at his younger sister just as hard as she was staring at him. Jessie was just as stubborn as he, and he was certain the mere notion he needed to keep tabs on her to protect her infuriated her. Jessie had been on her own since she was sixteen years old. And a lot had happened during the six years since her first bank robbery, executed alongside her future husband, George Sutton, and his band of outlaws, one of whom happened to be Jeremiah James. And for that reason, he knew he needed Jessie. And he was certain, she knew how badly he needed her on his side as well. Which meant Brisco would need to keep Bowler under control, along with his own emotions he felt toward his baby sister.

"Fine. Fair enough." Brisco threw up a non-threatening hand in an effort to show he was no longer interested in fighting. "You know we need you to get to James' hideout."

"Well, it's damn near impossible to get into The Hideout in the first place." Jessie said quickly, her frustration with the entire situation beginning to show. "There's only one real place to get in and out. And that entrance is visible from anywhere inside. Now, even if we slip in undetected by Jeremiah or any of his idiots, or the dozen or so outlaws that could be found in there at any time, making it to Jeremiah's spot…" she let her voice trail off for effect, shaking her brunette head slowly. "Even if we live to make it past all the dangers sure to be waiting for us, it'll just end badly on the other end. Jeremiah likes to ambush those who are foolish enough to tackle that asinine trek through some of the narrowest and steepest trails I've ever seen. Now, if we would've left Dolan Springs immediately, like I wanted to, instead of sticking around to help folks who don't really need your help anyway, we could've caught up to Jeremiah before he reached The Hideout, and I could've gotten my guns back. And we'd all be a little happier."

"Feel better?"

"I do a little, yes."

"Good." Brisco pushed his hat back on his head before continuing. "You know there was no way we'd be able to catch up to James before he reached The Hideout. And staying behind to help out the citizens of Dolan Springs might help you out a bit when the federal marshal rides in to pick you up, only to find out, you're gone."

"I doubt a few moments of kindness will help me out any, Brisco, thank you very much."

"And who's fault is that?" He could feel the heat of Jessie's glare on the side of his face as he fought to keep his gaze forward.

"Do you want me to help you, or not?"

"You don't have to, Jess. But, I remind you once again, you're unarmed, and not really much of a match for James when you do decide to ride into The Hideout after him, which I know for a fact you'll do." Brisco added when she opened her mouth to protest.

Dejected, Jessie settled back in her saddle and coaxed Sancho to a faster walk, taking the lead from Bowler.


	3. Only The Beginning

With a little convincing, Brisco and Bowler had agreed to stay the night in the small town of Ciudad Pasada. As its name suggested, the tiny settlement was the last this side of the Hualapai Mountains. The population barely hovered above thirty and the amenities were scarce. If Jessie was worried about being recognized in a town where any outsiders would certainly be scrutinized, she didn't make it obvious.

Before they made it to the town's only lodging, Jessie jumped down from the saddle after ordering Sancho to a stop in front of the sheriff's office to inspect the wanted posters nailed to a board propped beside the front door. With no light emanating from the tiny building, it was certain no one was inside, which gave Jessie ample time to inspect the faces plastering the board without being investigated as to why she was loitering outside the city jail.

After a few moments, Jessie grabbed the edge of one of the posters hanging near the center of the timber and gave it one quick tug, successfully freeing the paper from its nail. Brisco already had an idea to whom the wanted poster promised a handsome bounty for the outlaw's capture.

"I can always tell which towns you recently breezed through." Bowler growled as Jessie rejoined them. "There ain't a wanted poster with your face on it in sight."

"Well, if they used a decent sketch, I wouldn't be so upset about them." she announced, waving the wrinkled paper in the air. "I mean, come on. Look at how big my nose is in this picture." Jessie continued, holding up the poster as if to prove her point. "And there's no way my eyes are that far apart. I look like a fish in this." Bowler shook his head and followed his partner to the only hotel occupying the main drag, leaving Jessie where she stood as she carefully folded the newly acquired wanted poster in half and tucking it into her saddle bag.

Brisco and Bowler were already inside the two story hotel, collecting the keys to their respective rooms before Jessie finally joined them.

"So, where's my room?" she asked, shifting the weight if the saddlebag she had draped over her left shoulder.

"_Our _room is just up the stairs." Brisco corrected, not bothering to look up as he finished signing the hotel ledger.

"Oh, I don't think so." Jessie said as she leaned over her brother's shoulder, pretending to eye the names he etched into the book. Instead, she kept her focus on the set of keys given to Brisco by the portly hotel manager. Brisco gripped his tightly in his right hand as he wrote, but Bowler was foolish enough to tuck his into a pocket

"Oh, I think so." Brisco shot back, yanking the saddlebag from her grasp and laying it atop the nearly identical one he had draped over his shoulder as well. The move surprised her, if only momentarily, allowing Brisco time to gather distance from Jessie and make his way to the stairway unencumbered.

"Bowler?" Jessie asked sweetly, her eyes wide and her bottom lip pouted slightly as she grabbed Bowler's arm tightly.

"Get out of here." Bowler growled, shaking his arm free, not feeling her hand slip into his pocket and grab the room key.

"Gladly." Jessie grinned wickedly as she dangled the key from her fingertips and pulled her saddlebag from her brother's shoulder. Bowler patted his pocket, his eyes filled with confusion, then anger when he noticed the key in Jessie's grasp was really his.

"You little thief." Bowler hissed, taking a few threatening steps toward the smiling outlaw.

"Good night, fellas." Brisco put a hand out, stopping Bowler from advancing any further on Jessie as she bounded up the wooden stairs, throwing a smug look over her shoulder before slipping into her new room.

"You're the reason she's such a little smart ass." Bowler accused as he followed Brisco to their room, located next to Jessie.

"Me?" Brisco asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Yes, you. You let her get away with anything and everything."

"I do not."

"Oh, you do, too." Bowler argued, slamming the door shut behind him after warily surveying the tiny room, just barely big enough to fit a trussed bed, a wardrobe, and a cot set up crudely in the furthest corner.

"Says who?" Brisco shot back, tossing the well-worn saddle bag onto the plush bed, which received him a glare from his partner in return.

"Says everybody. And who says you get the big bed?"

"I say I do cause I paid for the room."

"C'mon, Brisco," Bowler began, the expression on his face nearly identical to Jessie's when she had begged him for his room key. "You see how little that bed is. And it's only for one night."

"You're right." Brisco agreed. "It's only for one night, so you shouldn't mind sleeping on it, now should you?" Bowler did his best to stare down the fellow bounty hunter, but he knew when he was beat. Dejected, Bowler tossed his belongings onto the cot and expelled a long, mournful sigh.

"You know I'm right, don't you?" Bowler asked as he unpacked his saddlebag.

"What?"

"About Jessie. You let her walk all over you."

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Jessie dumped the contents of her bag on her bed, without much care to where the items landed. She dug through the contents, pausing slightly when her hand rested on a small stack of paper, bound together with thick string. Atop the pile was the photograph that caused her to pause. She bit down on her lip as her fingers traced the edges of the picture, smiling softly when her gaze landed on George's face. A soft knock at the door pulled her attention away.

"What?" she called out, tucking the stack pf papers underneath her pillow. When she received no answer, she sighed and made her way to the door. "Brisco, what the hell do you want?" she muttered, pulling the door open quickly. Her blood froze when she noticed the person on the other side of the door was not her brother, nor Bowler for that matter.

"Howdy, County." the man sneered as she quickly noticed the rather large gun pointed directly at her. Jessie stumbled backward, kicking the door shut with her foot as she did so. The bullet smashed through the heavy wooden door, missing Jessie's head by mere centimeters. Jessie collapsed to the ground as another round entered the room, smashing into the far wall.

"Christ." she yelped when she reached up to lock the door and a bullet crashed through the door, just above her hand.

She pulled herself across the floor, away from the doorway, silently cursing everyone and everything that brought her to this point.

When the man behind the door finally entered her room, she recognized him immediately, her focus no longer on the gun solely.

"El Gato." she hissed, reaching in vain for the Colt she had briefly forgotten wasn't there.

"I come to collect the bounty on your head." the bounty hunter said, his voice thickly accented. "And since you're worth more dead than alive, I'm going to kill you."

"I don't think so." El Gato's eyes widened at the familiar voice, and the sound of the Colt being charged behind him. A cocky grin spread across Jessie's face.

"Brisco County Jr." El Gato said slowly, his surprise replaced by annoyance. "I'm not surprised you're here, too, but I feel I should tell you, I'm taking your sister in, whether you like it or not."

"I don't see how you're going to make that happen, El Gato. Because if you shoot her, I'm just going to shoot you."

"I'm willing to risk it for five thousand dollars, _Chivato_." Counting on the fact El Gato had no idea how close he actually was, Brisco used El Gato's attentiveness to Jessie to his advantage. As El Gato's finger squeezed the trigger, Brisco brought the butt of his pearl handled Colt down hard to the back of the shorter man's neck. The final round in El Gato's chamber fired, landing in the floor beside Jessie as the bounty hunter slumped to the floor.

"Why the hell didn't you do that in the first place, Brisco?" Jessie asked, her voice higher than normal and the fear she had felt still evident in her azure eyes.

"I didn't think it would have to come to that."

"'_I didn't think it would have to come to that'._" Jessie mimicked, scrambling to her feet. "I've always hated that son-of-a-bitch." she said quietly, glancing over El Gato's unconscious body.

"Grab your things. We're leaving." Brisco ordered as he re-holstered his weapon.

"What?"

"I said we're leaving. Only God knows how many more bounty hunters know you're here, and I'm sure you don't want to stick around to find out." Jessie paused, but only briefly, knowing Brisco was right.


	4. A Suprising Ally

Daylight came early, much too early in Jessie's opinion. The slowly rising sun woke her before Brisco even had a chance to. He barely glanced up from his cup of coffee when she sat up and brushed the thick dark mane from her eyes. He handed her a tin cup as she sat down next to him, the thick aroma filling her nostrils, perking her up instantly. They finished their first cup in silence, any words that needed to be said could wait. Anything he wanted to tell her had all been said before, and would fall on deaf ears, anyway.

Brisco had nearly emptied his cup for a second time before Jessie spoke.

"You think it's about time to wake him?" she asked, nodding towards Bowler, who was laying a few feet in front of the two, still in deep sleep, evident from his deep, rhythmic snoring.

"He'll get up on his own." Brisco surmised as he finished the last of the coffee, shaking out the last bit of liquid from the bottom of the cup before pulling himself to his feet. "How's your hand?" He asked, motioning to Jessie's right hand, wrapped tightly in gauze, dirt streaked from the night spent on the ground. Thick splinters from the hotel room door had cut deep into the side of her hand when El Gato had sent a barrage of bullets into her room.

"It 's fine." she mumbled into her cup, her eyes downcast.

"You probably should find somewhere it have it looked at. So it doesn't infect."

"Maybe." Jessie shrugged, falling silent for a few minutes. "So," Jessie began slowly, making the word long and deliberate as she eyed Brisco warily. "We're just going to take our sweet ole time, huh?"

"What?" Brisco asked, raising an eyebrow faintly.

"Well, are we going to go after James and his gang sometime today, by chance?" Jessie inquired before finishing the last of the coffee from her tin cup. Brisco shook his head in disbelief as he began the process of cleaning up their temporary rest stop.

"Wasn't it you who was just complaining about the fact James' hideout is nearly impossible to reach, what with all the 'dangers' waiting for us inside The Hideout?" he shot back, busying himself with rolling his bedding into a tight coil so he could attach it back onto Comet's saddle. "Unless, of course, you really do know a way in that's far from prying eyes."

"If I did, Brisco, I'd tell you." Jessie muttered as she took after her brother's lead. She kicked a small rock angrily from her path before kneeling down next to her own bedroll. The rock bounced along the parched earth before coming to rest in a small patch of yellowed weeds.

"Would you?"

"Yes, I would." Jessie shot back quickly, turning at her waist to glare at Brisco before continuing to gather her belongings. "I hate that bastard more than anything. I want him much more than you do, I can guarantee you that."

"Why?" Brisco asked, his attention focused solely on his younger sister, fascinated by the amount of disdain and anger in her tone. He noticed her body tense, her shoulders square with an invisible target in front of her, her fist clenching the wool blanket tightly. Jessie shook her head, as if to clear the thoughts from her head, and resumed rolling her bedding. "What the hell has got you so hot and bothered about Jeremiah James?" Jessie's shoulders sagged and she turned to him once more. The look in her eyes threw him off balance; he wasn't expecting to see such vulnerability and sorrow in the pools of sapphire. The eyes may be the window to the soul, but Jessie rarely allowed any emotion to shine through.

"Why the hell can't the two of you ever let me get a decent night's sleep?" Bowler's interruption caused Brisco to jump slightly. When he caught his sister's gaze again, the previous look was gone, replaced by the standard unemotional gaze in Jessie's eyes.

"I should say the same damn thing about you, Bowler," Jessie said, chuckling. "That snore of yours could wake the dead."

"I don't snore." Bowler objected as he pulled himself up.

"Ha. Okay."

"I'm hungry." Bowler said after the trio had finished picking up the last remnants and any evidence they had ever set up camp.

"How long you figure it'll take El Gato to catch up with us?" Jessie asked, ignoring Bowler's last remark.

"I wouldn't be too worried about El Gato." Brisco answered. "He's not that good of a tracker. And even if he was, we made sure our tracks were pretty well hidden, remember?"

"Well, I'm kinda hungry, too" Jessie said, tightening the saddle straps around Sancho's golden belly as she spoke.

"What does that have to do with El Gato?" Jessie shook her head.

"Nothing. It's just…"

"What?" Bowler prodded when Jessie let her voice trail off, receiving a stern look in return.

"It's just I might know somewhere we can stop and pick up some food, and clean wraps for this." Jessie held up her injured hand slightly.

"Unless it involves going back to Ci, I don't know how you're going to do that."

"Well, it doesn't. But I want to make sure El Gato doesn't follow us there. And," Jessie stressed the last words, drawing it out longer than she needed before continuing. "I want you two to promise me you'll forget where I take you and never head back there again."

"What the heck are you talking about, girl?" Bowler asked impatiently, inspecting her closely as she pulled herself into Sancho's saddle.

"I just want to the two of you to promise me you'll never head back to the place I'm about to take you ever again. Promise?"

"Fine, we promise." Brisco answered quickly.

"What's this 'we' stuff?" Bowler asked.

"We promise." Brisco repeated, shooting a warning look Bowler's way. Seemingly satisfied, Jessie urged Sancho to a gallop, heading west, and away from The Hideout. If there was a trail Jessie was following, it was cleverly hidden from view, disguised almost the sagebrush and rocky desert floor. There wasn't a town or a settlement for nearly twenty miles, a fact Bowler brought up more than a few times, but Jessie continued on, her body language and set look on her face telling the two bounty hunters she had a purpose.

The sun was set high in the sky before the tiny farmhouse was a welcome dot along the horizon. Bowler exchanged a confused glance with Brisco as Jessie urged her palomino faster. There wasn't supposed to be anything out here for miles. At least, according to any map they had seen.

As they approached, an elderly woman, dressed in a simple cotton dress, appeared in the front doorway, gripped in her hand a Winchester rifle she kept level on the trio as they approached.

"Get the hell off my property before I gun you down!" the woman cried out, her voice stronger than either Brisco or Bowler would have imagined.

"Mrs. James!" Jessie called out, cheerfully, waving a hand in a hello. The muzzle lowered slightly as an inquisitive eye peered over the sights. Another confused look passed between the two bounty hunters.

"Jessamyn Sutton, is that you?" A wide smile spread across the woman's deeply lined face and the rifle fell to her side as Jessie jumped from her saddle to walk the last few steps.

"Yes, ma'am, it is."

"Good heavens, child, I haven't seen you in forever." Mrs. James propped the rifle against the door frame and met Jessie at the bottom of the porch steps to engulf her in a big hug. The elderly woman stood just an inch or two shy of Jessie's five feet, with snow white hair kept in a tight bun atop her head.

Mrs. James pulled away just enough to look over Jessie once more. "Where have you been hiding at, Jessamyn?"

"Oh, I've been around." Jessie answered quickly, motioning toward the two men standing awkwardly behind her. "Mrs. James, these are my friends." Jessie turned, her eyes wide and her mouth frozen open as she met Brisco's gaze. He smirked back at her slightly when he realized she was unsure whether or not she would be giving Mrs. James their real names. "Uh," Jessie stammered, pausing, but only slightly. "Wiley Stafford and Pierre LaMont." Bowler gave her a slight sneer at her choice of aliases, convinced she could do better.

"Mr. Stafford. Mr. LaMont." Mrs. James nodded a hello then turned back to Jessie. "What on earth are you doing all the way out here?"

"Ah, well, we were just on our way back to uh, California…and I wanted to stop and say hello." Jessie smiled brightly.

"Well, come on in, come on in. I'm about to cook some lunch and I'm certain the three of you are famished." Mrs. James bustled back up the stairs, obviously excited to have visitors.

"Mrs. James?" Brisco asked quietly, his head dipped low as he leaned in close to Jessie, skepticism laced throughout his tone.

"That's what I said."

"As in…"

"As in Jeremiah's grandmother." Jessie shot back matter-of-factly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Brisco hissed, grabbing his sister's arm and forcing her to a stop before she entered the homestead.

"Trust me, Brisco." Jessie said sweetly, grinning up at her brother as she pulled her arm free. "I know what I'm doing.


	5. Marshal Steele

The lawman slipped from his saddle, eyeing the broken town as he did so. Charred cinders, which once used to be Dolan Spring's jail house, lay before him, the smell of fire and death still hung in the dry summer air. Across the barren street, he noticed a man eyeing him warily from behind the bat doors of one of the many saloons to line the thoroughfare, his eyes just barely visible over the wooden doors. As Everett Steele approached, a door swung wide, revealing a shiny badge attached to a lanky frame and a uncertain frown on a long, slender face.

"You Marshal Steele?" the man asked, pushing the bowler hat back on his head.

"Yes I am." Steele nodded, noticing the badge read 'Deputy' as their distance decreased. "You must the man that wired me." he extended a hand in greeting, knowing his last statement wasn't true.

"No, sir. That was the sheriff. He's dead now. My name's Deputy Edward Christie." He accepted the handshake, his own limp and weak compared to Steele's strong shake.

"Well, Deputy Christie, my condolences." Steele said sincerely as he discreetly wiped the palm of his hand on his thigh. The Deputy certainly had some clammy hands, he thought.

"Yeah. Most the town dead, too. I came back from Tombstone yesterday to find it looking like this." Christie waved a hand haphazardly to the town behind him.

"Was Jessie County in there when it burned down?" Steele asked, motioning to the remains of the jail house.

"Nope. Folks left here saying she's the one that did it." Steele raised an eyebrow in surprise. As long as Jessie had been on the run, she had never been one to harm another's property, even if it was the jail. "And that brother of hers."

"Brisco County? He was here, too?"

"Yep. They were riding along with Jeremiah James and his gang. Came to bust Jessie out, I hear. Killed Sheriff Talbort and half the population in the process." The eyebrow raised even higher. It was certainly no secret Jessie County and Jeremiah James weren't on the friendliest of terms, especially after the death of her outlaw husband, George Sutton, who also happened to be Jeremiah's older cousin. To even think the two were riding together again was almost laughable. Especially, since one of the most famous bounty hunters in the West was supposedly riding along with them as well.

Steele took what the deputy said with a grain of salt, like he did most statements he received. In the heat of the moment, things were forgotten, timelines were erased, and when things settled back down again, the mind threw events and faces in where it damned well pleased.

"Where's they head off to after all this?" Steele asked.

"East. That's the best I got. Nobody went out riding after them. People were more concerned about the state of the town here."

"Understandable. You interviewed all the witnesses?" Steele asked, receiving a blank look in return. "You…talked to everyone who saw anything?"

"Oh, yes sir, I did." Christie stammered, straightening himself inside his grey cotton jacket. "Most of the folks that were here are inside the saloon, if'n you was wanting to talk to any of them." Everett hid a disappointed sigh and shook his head. A witness who's mind was already turned around was not much better drunk.

"No, Deputy. I think I'm going to head on out after Jessie County." Steele tipped his hat to the younger man and smiled. "Again, my condolences." Steele turned and unhooked the painted horse's reins from the hitching post before climbing back into the saddle.

"You bringing County back here when you catch her?" Christie asked as Steele began to ride away.

"No, Deputy Christie. Seeing as how Jessamyn County has a knack for escaping any trap she's in, a federal judge has ordered her first sentence to be carried out when caught by a federal lawman."

"Which means?" Christie prodded when Steele didn't continue.

"Which means, when I catch her, I get to hang her. Along with those who harbor her."

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James watched as the sun slowly rose above the sharp and uneven peaks of the Hualapai Mountains. The early morning sunlight splashed across the rocks, turning them a deep blood red. James finished the last of the harsh whiskey before tossing the empty glass bottle over the edge of the trail, eyeing it as it freefell to the earth and finally met it's end as it shattered against a pile of rocks.

James reached into his shirt's breast pocket, producing a freshly rolled cigarette. He brought it to his lips and dug deeper into the pocket, grasping the packet of matches he had taken from the saloon in that pathetic little town they had last roamed through. He struck the match and lit the cigarette, taking a deep drag of the nicotine before extinguishing the flame.

As the sun slowly began to warm the atmosphere, James let his thoughts center solely on Jessamyn and the past twenty-four hours. Seeing her in Arizona certainly surprised him. Ever since that robbery in Tucson she had kept her distance from Arizona, sticking to roaming California and Nevada, and every once in a while, New Mexico he heard. Arizona was his home, and he never left it. He wasn't scared of anyone catching up to him, as he was confident she was.

He should have shot her in the jail cell. Jessie was quite well known for slipping out of even the best laid traps. There was no doubt she had escaped that jail cell. And there was no doubt she would be after him.

James pulled himself to his feet and walked the half mile to the campsite, where his gang were still asleep, oblivious to the rising sun. He pulled his Colt from its holster and raised it high the in the air, firing once. The group, startled by the sudden gunshot, roused quickly, each grabbing for the weapons on their hips.

"Jeremiah?" Gregory asked, his eyes still unfocused and blurry from sleep.

"Get ready." Jeremiah ordered, holstering his weapon as he spoke.

"For what?"

"We're leaving." Gregory shared a confused look with Pete Hutter, who laid just a few feet from him before turning back to his cousin.

"Leaving? What the hell for?"

"Because I said so."

"Might I remind you, Brisco County Jr. and Lord Bowler were on our tail before we sent Miss County to the hereafter." Pete hissed.

"Attempted." James muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Jeremiah believes Jessie escaped." Gregory said quickly before focusing back on James. "And Pete's right. Brisco and Bowler are after us, and as long as we're in here…"

"Didn't you hear what the hell I said?" James yelled, causing the underlying mumbles to fall silent. "Get your thing together cause we're leaving. Anyone who doesn't follow gets a bullet in the eye. Understood?"

"Jeremiah." Gregory began, leaning in close as the rest of the gang began to pack their belongings. "You really think this is a good idea?"

"I do. Listen." James said when he caught the look of doubt in Gregory's eyes. "I know Jessie escaped, and she's not going to be too happy when she finally tracks us down, which she will do. I'd rather have that happen on my own terms. And I know exactly where she's going to be headed, because she's not stupid enough to try and come in here."

"Well, where could she be?"

"Think about it. There's only one place she could go and stay out of sight."


End file.
